Railroad-switch-point lock



Dec. 29 1925- J. F. .PETERMAN RAILROAD SWITCH POINT LOCK Filed April 23, 1925 3n DRJItO L Peterman Ill 3 7 ME W 2 W? a 0 3 9 y llyslwllfl J 5 A i Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F. IPETERMAN, F SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RAY- MOND J. HEANEY, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

RAILROAD-SWITCH-POINT LOCK.

Application filed April 23, 1925. Serial No. 25,404.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, J osnrrr F. PETERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Superior, in the county ofDouglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Railroad- SWitch-Point Lock, of which the following is a specification.

" The present invention relates to railway switches, and more specifically to an improved locking device therefor.

The primary object of the invention being to provide an improved lock for switch points whereby the locking device operates independently of the switch throwing mechanism, thereby insuring locking of the switch points should the head or operating rod connecting the points with the switch stand become broken or disconnected so as to become ineffective in their proper functioning.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved locking means forswitch points, embodying a locking elementadapb ed to be swung into operative relation with a switch point, and there locked by a supplemental lock element adapted for movement into and out of operative'relation with the switch point engaging lock element.

A stillfurtherobject of the invention is to provide an improved switch point lock adapted to be disposed upon the upper sun face of one of the cross ties lying beneath a section ,of the switch point, and which. lock structure embodies certain adjustable features for permitting of the locking bar being disposed into operative relation to the switch point, regardless as to the specific cross sectional area of the switch point directly above the cross tie upon which the lock is mounted.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved retaining device of this character whichis eXt-remelysimple and 'eflicient in operation, and which may be readily associated with the usual switch constructions now in general use in connection with T rails. V I

ther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing: nga-m1 is View in side elevation of the improved device shown applied to and in operative relation to a switch section of a railway; the rail and switch point being shown in cross section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the showing in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a section 011 line l4: of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown but the preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views; the letter A may designate a rail of the T type, B a switch point or tongue adapted for swinging. movement into and out of operative relation to one side of the rail A, and C a cross tie or sleeper extending transversely beneath the rail A. The improved switch point lock, and which may be designated as a whole by the character D, preferably embodies a base or rest plate E having adjustably mounted at its inner end, a. main locking device F having a portion thereof adapted for swinging movement into and out of operative relation with the tongue B; and a supplemental locking means G adapted for releasably retaining the locking device F in operative relation with the tongue B.

Thebase or rest plate E, which is intended to have a portion thereof disposed beneath the base flange 5 of the rail A, and i which plate is adapted to rest upon the cross tie C, preferably has its outer end bent upwardly and then back upon itself for providing substantially a hook having a flange engaging portion 6 adapted to snugly engage the upper surface of the base flange 5. Extending upwardly from the portion 6, in contacting engagement with the outer face of the rail web 7, is an attaching flange 8 which may be rigidly secured to the web 7 as by bolts or rivets 9. Adjacent the inner edge of the rail flange 5, a depending transverse offset 10 may be formed in the rest plate for permitting of the usual .tie pla te-not shown being disposed beneath the rail A should such be desirable. The normally inner end of the plate E, preferably has its upper face provided with a plurality of transversely extending notches or teeth 11, and which teeth form a rack adapted for co-operation with the locking means F.

Referring now to the main locking device F, the same embodies a pair of angular shaped blocks 12 having the under surface of their horizontal flange portions l3 provided with a plurality of transversely extending teeth 14 adapted for comeshing engagement with the teeth 11 of the plate E. These blocks 12, which are mounted with the vertical flanges 1.5 thereof in spaced confronting relation, and extending in longitudinal relation to the plate E, have their hori- Zontal flanges 13 provided with longitudinally extending openings or slots 16 through which locking bolts 17 carried by the plate E are adapted to extend for permitting of longitudinal adjustment of the blocks with respect to the plate E. Pivotally mounted at one end between the spaced flanges 15, as by a bolt or suitable pivot pin 18, is a lock bar 19 adapted when in a retaining position, to extend in upwardly inclined relation from the pivot pin 18 with its free end face 20 in slight angular abutting relation with the inner face 21 of the switch tongue B. Thus it will be seen that by so mounting the blocks 12 as to permit of their being shifted longitudinally of the base or rest plate E, that the distance between the pivot pin 18 and the inner face 21 of the switch tongue B may be varied so as to cause the free end of the locking bar 19 to always engage the tongue B at a point just below or out of possible contact with the flange of a wheel passing over the switch point. Such an adjustment is essential, owing to the fact that various switch points may be of slightly different thicknesses, and where the cross ties or sleepers are disposed at various positions from the point or end. of the switch point and in which position the inner face of the switch point will be spaced farther or nearer to the rail proper.

Referring now to the supplemental loclring means G, the same comprises an operating lever 22 adapted to extend transversely of the plate E at a point intermediate the ends of the locking bar 19, and which lever is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as by a suitable pivot pin 23 having its ends mounted in suitable uprights 24 attached to the plate E. Extending upwardly from the lever 22, and just to one side of the pivot point 23, is a keeper 25 having a hook portion 26 formed at the upper end thereof and extending in a general direction away from the pivot point 23. The lever 22, which preferably has each end thereof extending outwardly past the side edges of the plate E, has a weight 27 formed at one end thereof; to that side of the pivot pin at which the keeper 25 is disposed and at its opposite is provided with a foot plate 28 which is intended to be pressed downwardly for swinging the hook portion 26 out of locking relation with the lock bar 19. It will be seen that by so disposing the keeper 25 and the weight 27 to one side of the pivot pin 23 as shown, that the keeper will be effectively held in locked operative relation with the lock bar 19 for preventing the bar from swinging upwardly upon its pivotal point of suspension 18. If deemed desirable, a suitable padlock may be associated with the means for preventing unauthorized operation of the switch point lock.

hen it is desirable to throw the switch point from a locked position as shown, it is merely necessary to move the supplemental locking means G free of the locking bar 19, whereupon the bar may be manually swung free of the switch point and left to lie in an out of the way position upon the cross tie upon which the device is mounted.

From the foregoing description of this invention it will be apparent that a novel and efficient device of this character has been provided which may be readily applied to existing types of railway switches,

without necessitating shifting of the cross ties beneath the switch in order to properly apply the lock to the switch point.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A switch point lock comprising a base plate, a locking bar pivotally carried by the base plate and adapted to have its free end movable into and out of abutting engage ment with the inner face of the switch point, and a supplemental locking means associated with the locking bar for releasably retaining the bar in operative relation to the switch point.

A look for switch points comprising a base plate, a locking bar pivotally mounted at one end to the base plate and having its free end adapted for swinging movement into and out of bearing relation with one face of the switch point, and means releasably engaging the intermediate portion of the locking bar for preventing swinging movement of the bar out of operative engagement with the switch point.

3. A look for switch points comprising a base plate, a lock bar, means adjustably and ivotally mounting one end of said lock bar on the base plate whereby it be adjusted and swung toward and away from the switch point, and supplemental locking means associated with the lock bar for releasably retaining the bar in operative relation to the switch point.

a A. lock for switch points comprising a base plate, bloc-ks mounted on said base plate and adjustable toward and away from the switch point, a lock bar pivotally mounted in said blocks and adapted for swinging movement into operative relation with the switch point, and supplemental locking means associated with the lock bar for releasably retaining the bar in operative relation to the switch point.

5. A lock for switch points comprising a base plate having transverse grooves pro vided in its upper face, blocks having corresponding grooves provided in their lower faces adapted for comeshing relation with the grooves of said base plate, means for retaining the blocks in adjusted relation upon the base plate, a lock bar pivotally mounted in said blocks and adapted for swinging movement into operative relation with the switch point, and supplemental locking means associated with the lock bar for releasably retaining the bar in operative relation to the switch point.

6. A lock for switch points comprising a base plate, a lock bar pivotally mounted at one end on said base plate and having its free end adapted for swinging movement into operative relation with the switch point, and

a lever pivotally mounted on the base )late for swinging movement transversely oi the lock bar and having a hook portion adapted to releasably engage the intermediate portion of the lock bar for holding the bar in operative engagement with the switch point.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a main rail and a switch point movable toward and away from the inner side of the main rail, a base plate extend ing transversely beneath the main rail and switch point and having its outer end conforming to the shapeof the base flange of the main rail and having an upwardly extending attaching flange in contact with the web of the rail, means for securing the attaching flange to the web of the rail, a lock bar pivotally mounted on the portion of the base plate extending inwardly of the main rail and adapted for swinging movement into abutting relation with the inner face of the switch point for preventing movement of the point inwardly from the main rail, and releasable means for preventing swinging movement of the lock bar out of operative engagement with the switch point.

JOSEPH F. PETERMAN. 

